# Virginia HB1476: Law-enforcement civilian oversight bodies; disclosure of certain law-enforcement records.

Virginia HB1476, Law-enforcement civilian oversight bodies; disclosure of certain law-enforcement records., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Charlie Schmidt (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0861)) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1476-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB1476
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Law-enforcement civilian oversight bodies; disclosure of certain law-enforcement records.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-23
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0861)
- Sponsor: Charlie Schmidt (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 11 (269 yes, 130 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

Law-enforcement civilian oversight bodies; closed meetings; disclosure of certain law-enforcement records. Provides an exemption to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act to allow closed meetings for discussion or consideration by any law-enforcement civilian oversight body established pursuant to general law or established by a local governing body before July 1, 2020, and operating in a manner consistent with such law of the criminal investigative files, audit findings, and deliberations regarding police operations related to a specific complaint before the body involving any violation or attempted violation of certain offenses. The bill allows inspection of certain law-enforcement records concerning juveniles by such civilian oversight bodies when required to perform their duties and by any independent policing auditor, manager, director, or other person appointed by the local governing body to support such civilian oversight body. Finally, the bill allows disclosure of certain information regarding crimes involving sexual assault, sexual abuse, or family abuse to such civilian oversight body and independent policing auditor, manager, director, or other person appointed by the local governing body.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Police oversight gets records and private meetings: mixed, low. Virginia civilian police oversight bodies established under state oversight law can inspect juvenile police records needed for their duties. Local governments can also designate independent policing auditors, managers, directors, or others with those oversight duties to access records. Police agenc…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Charlie Schmidt (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-11 | House | Senate amendments agreed to by House | pass | 60 | 38 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Passed Senate with amendments | pass | 22 | 18 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | General Laws and Technology Amendments agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Reconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Passed Senate with amendments | pass | 21 | 19 |   |
| 2026-03-06 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-06 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Reported from General Laws and Technology with amendments | pass | 9 | 6 |   |
| 2026-02-12 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 59 | 39 |   |
| 2026-02-06 | House | Reported from Public Safety with substitute | pass | 14 | 8 |   |
| 2026-02-05 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 5 | 2 |   |

## Actions (37)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0861) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 861 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-04-01: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1476) (House)
- 2026-03-31: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-31: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-31: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-30: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1476ER) (House)
- 2026-03-30: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Senate amendments agreed to by House (60-Y 38-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-10: Passed Senate with amendments (21-Y 19-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Reconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Passed Senate with amendments (22-Y 18-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: General Laws and Technology Amendments agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Engrossed by Senate as amended (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Reported from General Laws and Technology with amendments (9-Y 6-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-17: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1476) (House)
- 2026-02-13: Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Read third time and passed House (59-Y 39-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-11: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2026-02-11: committee substitute agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-11: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-10: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-06: Committee substitute printed 26107271D-H1 (House)
- 2026-02-06: Reported from Public Safety with substitute (14-Y 8-N) (House)
- 2026-02-05: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-02-05: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (5-Y 2-N) (House)
- 2026-02-03: Assigned HMPPS sub: Subcommittee #2 (House)
- 2026-01-23: Referred to Committee on Public Safety (House)
- 2026-01-23: Presented and ordered printed 26104965D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222996.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222995.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212568.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212567.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-03-10: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1204064.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-03-05: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1196418.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-03-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1195111.HTML)
- Substitute, 2026-02-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133133.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133132.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-05: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1128038.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1128455.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1128037.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1128454.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-23: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1095384.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1095383.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed)
- HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed)
- HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed)
- HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222996.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222995.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212568.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212567.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1204064.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1196418.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1195111.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133133.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133132.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1128038.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1128455.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1128037.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1128454.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1095384.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1095383.PDF)

## Related
- [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026)
- [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026)
- [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026)
- [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026)
- [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026)
- [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1476-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).